


Trash Can Cues

by ForgottenChesire



Series: From Therapy to Home [1]
Category: Jurassic Park (Movies), Jurassic Park - All Media Types, Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: M/M, Past Owen Grady/Claire Dearing - Freeform, Pre Barry/Owen Grady/Lowery Cruthers, Slight Humor, Vic Hoskins Being an Asshole, after canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 04:43:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12927702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForgottenChesire/pseuds/ForgottenChesire
Summary: Owen isn't the best at social cues. He misses more than he picks up. A big example of that is his relationship with Claire. That disastrous first date should have been a neon sign for him that he and Claire thought things through very differently. Barry had laughed at him when he returned home from the date, pressing small little kisses on his cheeks and lips. Of course, when things went down the way that they did with the girls and Hoskins he thought maybe they had found a common ground. Survival. They had clicked, they had kissed. He had naively thought all was good. But... But he forgot that not everyone sees relationships and love the same way that Barry and he saw them. He forgot that not everyone is cool with open relationships and having multiple partners.Owen makes a beeline to Lowery who has placed himself in the far corner by the big trash can. People go there to signal that they don't want to talk, that they want to be left alone. It's a social cue that Owen has used himself but is choosing to ignore. The glare it gets him would make Claire proud, if she wasn't busy with talking to Vivian.No one will ever accuse Owen of being tactful.





	Trash Can Cues

Owen isn't the best at social cues. He misses more than he picks up. A big example of that is his relationship with Claire. That disastrous first date should have been a neon sign for him that he and Claire thought things through very differently. Barry had laughed at him when he returned home from the date, pressing small little kisses on his cheeks and lips. Of course, when things went down the way that they did with the girls and Hoskins he thought maybe they had found a common ground. Survival. They had clicked, they had kissed. He had naively thought all was good. But... But he forgot that not everyone sees relationships and love the same way that Barry and he saw them. He forgot that not everyone is cool with open relationships and having multiple partners. Claire did not want to date Owen, even when he explained that she didn't _have_ to date Barry too. That while he and Barry were an item, to date one you did not have to date the other. Barry likes it when they want to date both but he understands. Owen doesn't care either way.

 

Thankfully, Claire still wanted to be his friend and didn't cut contact entirely when she walked in on him and Barry making out like two desperate teenagers shortly after Grey and Zach left with their parents. The shrink that all the employee survivors of Jurassic World “have” to see and Barry both scolded him to high heaven for not telling Claire before then.

 

So social cues, not his greatest skill. But he notices the way that Lowery flinches when someone walks up behind him. The way the other man tenses if you touch him. It makes what Barry calls his Mom Senses tingle. Of course, the fact that Owen has come to appreciate and even look forward to the wiry male's brand of humor makes noticing these things all that easier. They have group therapy together, one of the only reasons Owen still goes that and Barry will withhold sex if he doesn't. So he's surprised when Lowery doesn't show up one day. Surprised and worried. Because while Lowery can be called a slob he's oddly punctual and dedicated. Missing sessions isn't like him.

 

“You like him,” Barry says when they get home. He has that laugh in his voice that he gets when Owen is becoming attached to someone. He had it when Owen first brought the girls to their bungalow. Owen shrugs.

 

“A little. He's funny, nice-”

 

“Has a nice ass.”

 

Owen coughs, glad that he wasn't drinking anything.

 

“Dude!”

 

“Do you deny it? Personality is always nice when combined with a nice ass.”

 

The French twist of the words that Barry has makes Owen grin. Barry crosses the room so that he can bring Owen in for a hug, one arm resting on his spine and hand playing with his curls.

 

“Do you?”

 

“I don't but...” Owen sighs, trying to ignore the way that Barry is pressing kisses to his throat, “I think something happened to him. Something that makes him twitchy and I-”

 

“He is stronger than you think. Let him know this is an option, that _we_ are an option and let him show you how strong he is.”

 

The protests that Owen has, that he doesn't think that Lowery is weak, die as Barry finally convinces him that kissing and maybe a little bit of sex are needed.

 

Lowery is there the next session which lifts something in Owen's soul.

 

“So, I typically just listen when it comes time to bare our souls but... But last week I got some news,” Lowery speaks, his hands twisting something around in his hands. He won't look up. Body wound tightly as he hunches over.

 

“You always hear tales of workplace abuse be it sexual or physical or emotional but you never think it will happen to you, ya know? As one of the tech geeks, I was typically safe. Not very many people get into the control room.”

 

Owen and Barry exchange glances not liking where this is going.

 

“During the... accident Hoskins took an interest in me. Kept touching me. I hated it. Vivian... Vivian knew I think.”

 

The woman in question nods her head. She has the same look of dread that Barry and him must have on their faces.

 

“I stayed behind. And Hoskins... Hoskins was there. God, it happened so quickly that it wasn't until after Claire had me release the T-Rex that I realized that yeah I was in pain. That, yeah, it wasn't just a nightmare. That Hoskins had shoved me down onto one of the workspaces and-” he cuts himself off and unfolds the paper he was twisting.

 

“I've got a clean bill of health. No nasty surprises waiting for me... Probably won't believe it until I get more than one clean bill of health. Spent the whole day I got the news eating ice cream and binge watching _Friends_.”

 

More people speak after that but Owen can't take his eyes off of Lowery. For a moment Owen hopes that Delta ate Hoskins slowly and that the man felt every bite and tear. When the session is over and they can move about the room freely Owen makes a beeline to Lowery who has placed himself in the far corner by the big trash can. People go there to signal that they don't want to talk, that they want to be left alone. It's a social cue that Owen has used himself but is choosing to ignore. The glare it gets him would make Claire proud, if she wasn't busy with talking to Vivian.

 

“Go away.”

 

“Nope.”

 

“I'm by the trash can for a reason.”

 

Owen nods his head.

 

“And I totally get that. I do.”

 

“Then leave me alone.”

 

“Not happening.”

 

No one will ever accuse Owen of being tactful. He can practically feel the shrink's laser-glare cutting into his back so he has to do this quickly. Because this is important, and he doesn't want to fuck it up. Even if he may actually be fucking it up by trying not to.

 

“Me and Barry... We're here for you. Anything you-”

 

“Mister Grady! We have agreed that those by the trashcan are to be left alone, have we not? Please leave Mister Cruthers alone.”

 

Owen nods his head distractedly, still looking at Lowery.

 

“I mean it. Any time, any place, we're there for you.”

 

Group therapy is once a week, with one on one happening as often as needed, Owen feels slightly disappointed that Lowery waits until next group to approach him and Barry.

 

“Why?”

 

It's a single word that speaks volumes. Maybe Owen hadn't been as open with his overtures of friendship as he thought if Lowery didn't understand.

 

“You're a friend. A friend that me and Barry wouldn't mind be- Ow! What was that for?”

 

“Wouldn't mind what?” Lowery asks while Barry gives him a look that says that Owen missed a cue somewhere. Which is ridiculous. He was the one who said to make sure that Lowery knew they were an option. Barry was the one that said even though something had happened to Lowery he should know that dating them was an option.

 

“That we wouldn't mind being more than friends. Not fuck buddies... unless that was something you wanted but partners.”

 

Lowery stares at him. It makes Owen feel put on the spot. And when he's put on the spot he rambles. See his speech about how all living things have three core objects in life.

 

“Or boyfriends if you prefer that term. Me and Barry prefer lovers or partners. We're dating but we don't mind bringing others in. And you won't just be an add-on. You'd be an equal member... I'm shutting up now.”

 

His speech to Claire was way more eloquent. What the hell Grady! Lowery looks to Barry who heaves a heavy sigh.

 

“We are dating, yes. And while he was blunt and chose an awkward time to bring it up we would like to get to know you better. Maybe even date. If you are amenable to that.”

 

Owen holds his breath as Lowery stares at them both. It's obvious that the other male is watching them, trying to decide whether or not they are pulling his leg. Finally Lowery lets out a long breath.

 

“I... Jesus, a person would have to be blind not to think you two are hot-”

 

“Or straight.”

 

Barry elbows Owen again.

 

“But I'm... I'm not sure I'm ready for that. I don't know if...”

 

Owen reaches out slowly, letting Lowery move away if he doesn't want to be touched.

 

“Hey, relationships don't have to be about sex. Sex is a bonus, not a must. We dated a sex-repulsed asexual for a bit before they found someone they wanted to be exclusive with,” he tells Lowery seriously. The fact that it's something that needs to be said makes Owen sad.

 

“And hey don’t worry if you don’t think you can ever have sex again. I get it. That shit can’t be healed by a vagina or dick and well if anyone tries to tell you that’s how it’s done... we can sic Barry on them!”

 

Lowery covers his mouth as he laughs. It's adorable how his face turns red... Owen has to blink as he realizes that yeah he just called Lowery adorable... Hopefully, the man won't mind it because Owen knows that it won't stay in his head.

 

“No offense but Barry may be tall and scary when he frowns but he’s a giant fucking teddy bear. I saw him with your raptors when they were tiny. Spoiled them almost as much as you did.”

 

Barry coughs, ducking his head down.

 

“True but they won’t know that. And I know you could kick their ass too but why sprain a wrist when you have people willing to do it for you?”

 

It gets Lowery to smile. Not the tiny ones that he has been attempting to crack when he feels smiling is the right thing to do but an honest smile. Owen doesn't have to look over at Barry to know that he will have a cohort in making sure that Lowery smiles like that more often. Their relationship may not sail smoothly and hell it may even sink and burn but Owen has a good feeling about it.


End file.
